The Delhi-based Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre has major plans to mark the 1,000th death anniversary of the sage, who passed away on January 4, 1016, in Kashmir.

A 10th-century mystic and philosopher is going to be at the centre of attention in the capital in the coming days. Abhinavagupta, a proponent of Kashmir Shaivism and author of many books on tantra and theatre, may soon have a landmark roundabout in Delhi named after him.

The Delhi-based Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre has major plans to mark the 1,000th death anniversary of the sage, who passed away on January 4, 1016, in Kashmir.

The organisation has formed the Acharya Abhinavagupta Millennium Ceremony Committee, headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living Foundation. Actor Anupam Kher is a key member of the committee and it also has representatives from the fields of arts and theatre.

“On January 3, we are going to hold a function at Mandi House Circle to mark the day by lighting a thousand diyas in memory of the late Abhinavagupta,” said Ashutosh Bhatnagar, general secretary of the Centre and convenor of the commemoration committee.

“Considering that here was this great man more than a 1,000 years ago who did such extensive work on theatre, it’s only befitting that the Mandi House circle, the hub of theatre activities in Delhi, should be named after Abhinavagupta,” he added.

The committee members have already sent a formal request letter to the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and are hopeful that their request would be granted “since the Mandi House circle doesn’t have an official name till date”. Such request letters have been sent to most NDMC members.

“I think my office has received the letter and we will look into it as per the procedure,” said NDMC Vice-Chairman and BJP leader Karan Singh Tanwar.